This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
There’s no denying it: Debbie Harry still looks great at 53. Too bad the mostly reunited Blondie — together again after 17 years — haven’t held up quite so well.
Used to be they were cutting-edge; Rapture was the first successful rap record and all. But No Exit finds them rusty as an old knife. Too many tracks are cold, directionless dreamscapes. Even the few that do recreate the old magic seem to do it too well — some tracks are suspiciously similar to older hits. Most obvious is the title cut, a blatant bid to remake a Rapture for the ’90s with the help of Coolio (if you consider that help). At its best, No Exit may be a near-perfect Xerox, but it still pales next to the original.
